Promises

I walked down the quiet hospital corridor past the waiting room. A man sat with his head in his hand as two children spread out on either side of him were sound asleep. I continued past the soda and snack machines and on up to the nurses station.

"I need to see my friend", I said. "I'm sorry but visiting hours are over" she smiled sweetly trying not to be rude. I was silent for a moment and said, "Well then, I apologize" and walked on past the station and into his room.

He was on his side facing the opposite wall. I saw his head turn slightly as I entered the room. "It's alright, partner, it's me". There was a chair against he wall he was facing and I took it. His eyes were swollen, the right one completely closed. A large X was formed by the bandages across his nose and a tube was taped to his left cheek.

His lips were dry and cracked but he tried to smile.

"Do you feel as bad as you look?" I asked, returning his smile. "Only when I think about it."

I was silent a moment and said "I'm going to get this empty piece of trash." He closed his eyes briefly and said "I want to be there," his body jerked from a pain spasm somewhere deep inside and he caught his breath.

The report I heard from the responding officer was that he probably should not be alive. The damage done looks like it was caused by a very sharp instrument and it was applied methodically not to kill but to cause the maximum pain.

He told me he didn't feel much of it and I don't know if he was unconscious through most of it or if he was lying to protect me from the guilt he knew I was feeling.

I looked up at the sound of the door opening and saw the nurse and the doctor watching me. I knew it was time to go. The doctor told me he needs rest more than he needs a friend right now. I thanked him and walked out.

My mind was traveling non-stop now as I exited the hospital. The winds blowing in from the bay were picking up and off in the distance I saw lightning flashes outlining storm clouds that looked like they were about to open up. The swaying of the palmetto and oak trees gently defined the cold front moving in ahead of the storm. Camellias let loose their sweet fragrance and I'm pretty sure I caught the faint whiff of Johnny's BBQ about a block away.

I popped a cigarette out of my pocket pack and placed it between my lips. I hadn't smoked in years but always carried one in case I wanted to think hard. And right now, I needed all the hard thinking I could muster. The smell of ozone was strong and I breathed deeply hoping it would give me some insight into what I should do next. Naturally, nothing came to me so I slowly crossed the driveway towards the parking structure.

Traffic out on Bayside Drive was light this time of night and I thought that maybe if I took a walk before the storm hit I might clear my head. As I headed down the gentle slope in the drive towards Bayside the thought occurred to me about how unfair and sometimes demanding life can be. My friend lay in a hospital bed banged real hard no fault of his other than being my friend and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I was going to make good on the promise I made to him one or the other. The only other thing that I was certain about was that I didn't have a clue as to how to do it.

This is part one of a two part story. I'll link the two when I finished.